San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-12
CHATTER XIV.

| CHAPTER XIV.
How could she help getting well then?
| Here she had the beautiful golden
locket with his face inside it, that dark,
handsome face which she loved so en-
| tirely. She could look at it all day long
now; the eyes smiled at her, and to her
fancy the lips were always saying, my
beautiful love- Then she had the let
ter, the letter which said he was coming
back; it was not true what that grand
lady had said. An idea came to Bon
ME Doom so startling that it almost took
her breath away.
What if Lady Gerton had seen how
much he loved her, and had told her
this on purpose to part theml 1t was
possible; fine ladies', she had heard, were
not always very particular, not always
| scrupulons in their wishes. She remem-
bered many things which almost con-
WINGED her that this suspicion of hers
was correct one. Oh, the relief, the
happiness that this idea brought her
and she had nearly died; believing it
to be true, she had almost died over it.
| She remembered now how anxious Lady
| Gerton had been to tell her the news,
| how she had purpOsely taken her from
the others and had brought the CONVEX
| sation round so that she could say this
naturally.
The worst was that Eric had gone
| without seeing her again, without say
ing goodbye, but then he had simply
atoned for it by sending this beautiful
locket, and the loving letter.
She could not help getting well. He
was coming back; that made all the diff
| ference between death and life, between
hope and despair. How she longed to
write to him to tell him how very ill and
near to death she had been, to ask him
| to come back soon, as her heart ached
| for him, but she was unable to write
because she had no address.
She tried her best to get well; she did
exactly what the doctor told her; she
lay very still; she took what was given
to her; she tried to think only of bright
and happy things. She longed to get
better that she might be strong and well
when he came. She grew thin and pale;
| the hands that had been Redeemed by
toll grew white and thin; Bonnie Doom
was even more beautiful in her pallOr
and her illness than she had been in the
daintiest bloom of health.
She did not care to be always in her
room; she liked the cheerful noise of the
house, and she longed to see the blue
pigeons and the tame fiuttering birds.
If her mother would but let her have
| a couch in what they called the sitting
room, where she could see and hear all
that was going on.
II should soon get well, then" she
| said. Let it be so, mOtherp" and Mrs.
Vaughan agreed.
1t was from this sitting-room window
that she could see the high road, and
she could lie there all day watching and
waiting for him. He would come-she
believed it as implicitly as she believed
in the goodness of Heaven-the day
would dawn when, lying watching,
with anxious loving eyes, the white
high road, she would see him-hear
him. Heaven only grant that she might
not die of joy.
So, for a few days, Bonnie Doom lay
there, her eyes growing brighter and
larger, fixed ever on the white high road
BY degrees some faint tinge of color
came to her face. During those days
Laurence Rainton came and went as of
old. He would have done anything on
earth for her. He came every morning
with fruit and flowers, only too happy
if he were allowed to sit by her for half
an-hour-only too happy if but once
during that time she turned Der blue
eyes on him with a smile-if she spoke
a few kindly words,to him, quite con-
tent to lavish the greatness of a great
love upon her, asking nothing in return.
They never spoke of the ledger. Lau-
renee could not trust himself, and Bon
ME Doom could not forgive the terms in
which he had spoken of her lover. They
were the best Of friends, but while she
lay there so pale and languid. he could
not make love to her.
He never mentioned Eric, but he
thought of him. He would have given
all he had to have known the truth. He
could not understand this sudden illness
| of Bonnie D0On's, happening too just
when "the ledger" left. Had he trifed
with the girls affections? If so, and
Laurence ever found it out, let him be-
ware!
II will keep my word" he said to
himself. "If any man hurts but one
hair of her head, will STAY him for it"
Quite suddenly one day, Laurence
| caught sight of the magnificent golden
| locket. Bonnie Doom wore an invalid's
shawl of white fleecy wool, and the
lOcket was hidden beneath it. She held
it always in her hand, and if for few
minutes the loosened her clasp of it,
the white trembling hand went back to
| it with fresh eagerness. Holding that,
she felt safe, and suddenly Laurence
Raintoa caught sight of it. He had
been reading to her while Mrs. Waugh
an sat knitting.
| "What magnificent locket!" cried
Laurence. II have never seen it be-
| FORE"
She smiled, and made no answer.
Mrs. Vaughan looked up.
Yes" she said; II call that hand
some present, Laurencel'
Nv no gave it to you, Miss Vaughan"
| he asked.
Ali then he read her cret,-then he
knew that all his love, and hopes, and
wishes were so many dead ashes, for
even as he looked at Bonnie Doom, and
she answered him, her face underwent
a complete change.
"She loves him." Laurence cried to
himself in the despair of his heart-"she
| loves himl"
Bending over her he whispered in a
low voice.
you love him, Bonnie DOOM"
"Yes," she answered.
with all your hearth" he whispered
again. do you love him with ali your
! hearth"
YES" she replied, and spoke no other
word,